Arranged Marriage
by Water Lock
Summary: (AU)"You don't want this either, do you?" Shot asked in a soft whisper by her ear as their parents continued to discuss their fate. Momo nodded slightly, without looking away from the group. "Then let's work together" her dark eyes fixed on him with curiosity and Shoto gave her a small smile "We will sabotage our own wedding!" (TodoMomo)
1. Chapter 1

**Arranged Marriage — BNHAU**

**Disclaimer: Boku no Hero Academia and it's characters don't belong to me. I wrote this for fun.**

**AN: **This fic was written for the **Boku no AU Bang.**

I worked with **Lilnutshell** ( Pisceshi on Tumblr and Instagram) who made two wonderful fanarts for this story. Go and look at her amazing work! She's such a great artist

Thanks to **Lys** who was the beta reader for this story :)

Chapter One

When Enji told him that he would accompany him to a business meeting, Shoto suspected that he could end up harmed in some way. His father never took him to negotiations, much less to meetings with the company's biggest partners. So, despite the need to appear confident and calm outside, the young man couldn't help the mistrust that resulted in a defensive and somewhat hostile attitude.

"You still haven't told me why you brought me here," he said while a Yaoyorozu's butler led them through a extensive hallway that would take them to the meeting room.

"I already told you that your presence is essential to close this deal," his father replied quietly, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"You never need me to close deals before," he began to say with distrust, while his bicolored eyes stared at his father's satisfied smile on his usually stoic face "I wonder what you're up to"

"Believe me," Enji replied after a pause. "This will be very good for you."

After hearing that, Shoto knew his suspicions were true and began to worry.

Upon arriving at the meeting room he was surprised to see that there was someone his age there. A tall girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail with one of her loose strands falling over the contour of her right cheek. She watched him shyly with her dark irises and then looked away somewhat embarrassed. Like him, she also dressed formally as if she was going to participate in the business on discussion that night.

A couple, around his father's age, waited by her side. Shoto supposed that they were the famous majority partners of the company, the Yaoyorozus.

"Mr. Todoroki, how nice to meet you at our house," the lady greeted politely, approaching them with a kind smile.

"The pleasure is ours, madame," replied his father with the firm but cordial tone he used in his work meetings. The woman turned her gaze to Shoto and accentuated her smile.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Shoto," she said. "Your father has told us a lot about you."

_My father talked about me? I can't even imagine what he told these people._ He thought, looking slightly at his father.

"Enji," Shoto looked up at the voice of the other man, who greeted the elder Todoroki with a handshake. Then the man addressed him with a smile so wide that it did not seem like the typical cold business interactions, there was something else here "finally you introduce us to our son-in-law"

"Son-in-law?" Shoto asked confused, the words sounded strange, as pronounced in another language. Mr. Yaoyorozu frowned.

"Haven't you told him yet?"

"I wanted to surprise him," his father replied simply. Shoto did not understand anything. He felt someone taking his shoulder roughly and being pushed until he was facing the black-haired girl. She lowered her head slightly, her hair covering part of her face. "Shoto, she's Momo Yaoyorozu. Your fiancée "

"My what?"

* * *

Nobody asked them what they thought about it and Shoto could see that "his fiancée" was as uncomfortable as he.

The three adults closed in a circle leaving them out of the discussion, as if it had nothing to do with them, as if the whole thing was not about them! Shoto was completely furious and the desire to rebel against the whole situation swirled in the pit of his stomach along with anger and frustration.

He looked sideways at Momo, who was only holding the fabric of her dress tightly, her face serious, her eyebrows slightly furrowed as she stared at the group of people deciding their futures, but she also didn't oppose what was being decided in front of them. Shoto supposed that she must be as pressured by her parents as himself.

"You don't want this either, do you?" He asked in a soft whisper by her ear as their parents continued to discuss their fate. She nodded slightly, without looking away from the group. "Then let's work together" her dark eyes fixed on him with curiosity and Shoto gave her a small smile "We will sabotage our own wedding!"

She looked surprised at him and then turned her attention to her parents, somewhat doubtful.

"Don't worry about your parents," he told her before she could refuse. "When we're done with this, they will be the ones who'll want to cancel everything."

"How can we do that?" Momo asked, speaking for the first time since they were reunited.

"We'll think of something," Shoto replied, imposing security, wanting to convey some confidence, as he had learned in his years of seeing his father negotiate. "But you can be sure that this wedding will not take place."

They smiled at each other in agreement. Shoto extended his hand to close the first negotiation of his life and Momo returned the gesture accepting the deal.

"But if they look adorable!" They let go when they heard Mrs. Yaoyorozu's cheerful exclamation and found themselves surrounded by the three adults who looked at them proudly. Shame invaded the young Todoroki and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that his "fiancée" also seemed inhibited by the attention.

Enji's figure appeared in his range of vision and Shoto was surprised to see the pride in his usual cold and distant gaze. _Is he proud ... of me?_

"They will be a perfect couple," added the lady approaching her daughter. "Momo will be an ideal wife; I'll take care of teaching you everything"

Momo's cheeks lit up as she nodded slightly watching her mother with a strange glow in her dark eyes. Shoto guessed that she craved her mother's approval and that those words meant a lot to the girl. He understood the feeling, because he himself once wished his father would look proudly at him.

* * *

"Are you going to get married?" Kyoka asked alarmed, almost spitting out the soda that she had just sipped "But ... With whom?"

Everyone's eyes focused on her and Momo felt suddenly self-conscious, not only did her friends look at her as if she were sentenced to death, but Kyoka's scream attracted the attention of the other customers of the modest café where they used to meet.

"Shoto Todoroki" She finally replied.

"And who is that?" Mina asked contemptuously, leaving the cell phone aside.

"He is the son of a business partner of my father. It seems that the decision was made a long time ago"

"Couldn't you just refuse?" Toru was heard asking from Mina's cell phone. Their friend had put her on the speaker to participate in the discussion from the distance.

"No ..." Momo bit her lower lip in a gesture of insecurity. "My parents were so excited. You should have seen their faces"

"But Momo," Uraraka began in a serious tone, quite unusual in her. "Your parents shouldn't decide these things for marry someone you don't know… At least they told you why?

"No. They only explained to me that they agreed to a wedding with Mr. Todoroki when I was born. "She sighed heavily and looked out the cafeteria window, feeling her friends look over her "They wanted to be sure they got a good candidate for their only daughter. It had to be someone from my father's circle, someone from a good family… "

"It's so unfair!" Uraraka hit the table looking indignant. Momo smiled gratefully understanding her concern.

"Anyway, Todoroki has a plan to prevent this from happening"

"A plan? What kind of plan?" Mina inquired, tilting her head to the side.

"One to sabotage the wedding and have our parents cancel it"

"Oh, it sounds fun!" Toru said from the phone. "What are you going to do?"

"I still don't know, but I trust Todoroki will have a good idea."

"Very well," Kyoka finished her drink and set aside the glass "How can we help?"

"Yes! Let's prevent that wedding! "Uraraka exclaimed excitedly and pulled a notebook from her purse.

All began to give their opinions and contribute crazy theories of all kinds; from burning the place to find an alternative candidate to interrupt the wedding in the best Hollywood style. Momo was glad to have shared that with her friends, the cheerful air kept away the concerns that had attacked her during the meeting with the Todoroki and feeling less overwhelmed, she could think of an alternative strategy in case a plan B is needed .

A vibrant sound interrupted the hectic conversation. Momo reached into her bag to find her cell phone and was surprised to read her mother's message.

"What's wrong?" Kyoka peeked at the screen, sticking her head over Momo's shoulder. "Oh ..."

"It seems I have a date," Momo replied, unsure of her own words, while her eyes read her mother's message again …

**Mom**:

Tonight 20hs your fiance will come for you to take you to dinner.

Dress formal.

"Are you going?" Kyoka asked looking worriedly. Momo shrugged and put the cell phone in her bag without answering the message.

"It's a good opportunity to start planning the sabotage," she replied. "Besides, I've never had a date before ..."

"Eh?" They all exclaimed in surprise at the same time. "You haven't dated anyone?" But…" Uraraka continued and her voice went out before asking the question.

"My parents never let me go out with boys. I think now I can understand why "

"How boring!" Exclaimed Mina. "Change of plans, girls. Momo has to be prepared for her first date. "She pushed the chair back, rising vigorously "Let's go shopping! "

So the group went from "crazy plans to sabotage their wedding" to "crazy plans to prepare Momo's first date" and Momo thanked internally to spend the afternoon with them enjoying the matter of the arranged marriage instead of worrying about it.

* * *

He needed to discuss the matter with someone and hoped that his friends could give him some advice, so the group met in Midoriya's apartment after their respective jobs.

Telling them was difficult, more than he expected. He was not used to talking about his personal problems, not to the whole group and Kaminari's reaction reminded him why he didn't open widely to everyone …

"Sometimes I wonder why we are friends." He told him directly and clearly annoyed when the blond boy removed his phone to better observe his fiancée's photo.

"It's Kirishima's fault. He introduced us" He replied simply, making a general gesture to the redhead who looked at Shoto with an apologetic smile "But how lucky you are!" He exclaimed with an exaggerated smile, without looking away from the screen "She is cute and looks very elegant …"

"Give me that back." Shoto snatched the phone and put it back in his pocket "I'm not lucky at all. My father wants to force me to this"

"I would not resist if I were in your place." Shoto rolled his eyes at Denki's comment.

"It's not right that he forces you to marry someone," Izuku supported him by finally intervening in the conversation. "It must have been very uncomfortable"

"It was" He replied "My father didn't tell me anything until I was there"

"I do not understand why you don't tell him to go fuck himself" Interrupted Bakugou hitting the table with his glass that still had liquid in it "You should have done it years ago"

"It's not that easy"

"Tsk" The ash-blond clicked his tongue and let out a growl "What's the problem with that? Why do you have to put up with all that shit?" Shoto looked away. Involuntarily his hands squeezed the cup he was holding.

"It's not just me…" He paused and shook his head, deciding that it was not the time to tell his friends certain things that happened in his house "She doesn't want to hurt her parents. We will have to ruin the wedding for them to cancel."

"Oh, that sounds interesting" Kirishima put his empty glass on the table. Shoto was going to tell them what he had thought when a notification on his cell phone interrupted his words

**Enji**

Today, 20hs

Take Yaoyorozu to dinner.

Formal.

"What's going on?" Izuku asked after an extensive silence. Shoto looked at him confused, while his mind processed the meaning of the message.

"I'm not sure, but…" He read the message again and then looked at his friends "It seems I have a date"

"And you say you're not lucky?"

**To be continued…. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mrs. Yaoyorozu made a reservation for them in a well-known restaurant in the city center. Shoto went for his fiancee at the time indicated by his father and they both fell into an awkward silence that neither knew how to break.

His friends had made some behavioral recommendations for his date but the tension in the car was too uncomfortable; Momo kept her eyes straight ahead and looked as nervous as he was, Shoto wanted to say something that would relieve the tension, but he couldn't think of anything appropriate or genuine. Although his personality used to be more direct in any situation, the lack of experience left him speechless.

He cursed his father internally, blaming him for his lack of social skills.

"We're here," Momo said, breaking the silence. Shoto spotted the fancy restaurant in the next block then nodded and parked the car in front of the building.

According to Kaminari's advice, it would be right for him to open the car door, but she began to get off before he approached her side of the car. Then they walked together to the entrance of the place. He was supposed to open the door for her again, but someone did it first on the other side and they both entered at the same time.

It was a little frustrating not being able to put into practice what his friends had taught him, but then he thanked Momo internally for not expecting from him the chivalry he didn't have.

The receptionist of the place led them to a table set aside at one end of the room. It was a dimly lit corner with large armchairs around the rectangular table. The intimacy of that sector didn't seem casual, their parents really wanted them to have their time alone with as little distraction as possible.

At the time of ordering dinner, the extensive menu served to cut the tension that hadn't dissipated. Shoto tried to choose something from the long list of dishes, but his nerves and uncertainty had closed his stomach; he didn't think he could eat anything at all that night. On the other hand, his companion seemed to have no appetite problems, surprised he listened as she asked the waiter for an extensive list of different dishes that sounded somewhat exotic.

"We should just cancel everything," he said without prior introduction, once the waiter retired. Momo nodded and gave him a kind smile, then grabbed her bag and took out a small notebook with a pen.

"I thought the same," she replied "but we can't cancel everything at once or they will suspect" she opened the notebook and Shoto could notice the delicate calligraphy on a long handwritten list "Although ... it is inevitable to talk to them about canceling the wedding…" Momo's fingers slid over the letters of her notebook "What we are going to do will help me gain some time, " she stared at him with her dark eyes full of doubts and fears "Then we will tell them that we do not want to get married "

Shoto just nodded slightly. It not that he didn't want to talk to his father, but there was no way to have a kind and understanding conversation with him. Nothing he said would interest Enji. The only alternative to cancel the wedding was for the Yaoyorozus to decide it. Thinking about that, the most natural thing was to let her set the course of the plan.

"It seems you have a plan there," Shoto said pointing to the list. Momo nodded.

"Yes. I know my mother, I can imagine how she is planning this. "

"Are you sure she is the one in charge of everything?"

"She always takes care of everything," She said, leaving no room for doubt. "She wouldn't let anyone make a decision without consulting her."

"I can say the same about my father," Shoto replied disdainfully, thinking of his father's omnipotence.

"Believe me, she is the one behind all these decisions"

Shoto decided not to discuss it, but something told him that not everything was in the hands of Mrs. Yaoyorozu; his father had a particular interest in the wedding, although he did not know why yet.

"I made a list of everything necessary to organize a wedding, we have to think how everything will be assembled to be able to undo the steps" Momo explained as she showed him the list she had written "They still didn't inform me the date, but soon they will have to tell us"

Shoto observed the detailed organization of the supposed event. He believed it was just an agreement like any other, a simple meeting without the need for negotiation.

"You seem to know about these things"

"I've investigated a little," she replied with a shrug. "I never thought of getting married."

"Me neither"

"To be honest ..." She started and looked down shyly "it never occurred to me to date someone. It's ... it's the first time I have a date "

"If it makes you feel less uncomfortable," he began and gave her a slight smile "it's my first date too" Saying it was really a relief and from the expression, on Momo's face, he guessed that for her it was also a weight off her shoulders.

"Well," Yaoyorozu looked away, returning to her notebook. Shoto wondered if the lights of the place had changed, as it seemed that his companion's cheeks were pinker "I thought we should swap the cancellations"

"Swap them?"

"Yes," She pointed out the first words on the list "You will be responsible for canceling what my parents organized and I will cancel out what Mr. Todoroki has hired" Shoto nodded "I am sure my mother should have everything detailed in her cell phone, do you know where to look for what your father is doing? "

"In his notebook" He automatically replied "He keeps everything he does there" Momo took a deep breath, looking somewhat nervous, but covered it smiling kindly.

"Okay," she extended her hand on the table and brushed Shoto's fingers gently "let's cancel our wedding, Todoroki"

"Yes, but" He took her hand gently, wondering if they should greet each other as if they were negotiating, but preferred to only interlace their fingers "call me Shoto"

"Okay, Shoto" She looked timidly "and you may call me Momo"

* * *

She had never rebelled against her parents.

While her education was always strict, both her mother and father took care of making her feel all the love they had for her. Sometimes that love included too high expectations and excessive pressure that filled Momo with insecurity.

Being about to take (without permission) her mother's cell phone was an act of unthinkable rebellion. An act of indiscipline that brought a shot of adrenaline that made her feel a sense of freedom she had never felt before.

Maybe the dinner with Todoroki gave her the courage that she didn't know she had. Shoto seemed so sure of himself, so determined to carry out the plan and not let himself be led by his father, that Momo could do nothing but admire that strength. She didn't want their parents to decide her life in that way and to fight against it seemed like the most natural thing... it's just that she still didn't dare to confront them directly ...

She slipped into her parent's room that same night. Both were asleep in their bed closed by the red and silver curtains. Trying to be as silent as possible, she searched the darkness that was barely cut by the moonbeams that filtered through the high windows. The brightness of the exterior was expanding across the nightstand, almost magically illuminating the device that Momo needed. Feeling lucky, she hurriedly took it and quickly left the bedroom.

She reached her room and closed the door. Leaning against the wood she felt the rampant beats stirring inside her chest. A giggle escaped her lips; the pleasure of making the biggest mischief of her life was even more enjoyable than she had previously imagined.

She sat on her bed and turned on the cell phone. The screen lit up, showing a picture of her as a child. Some guilt peeked out of her conscience, but she quickly dismissed it, telling herself that she needed to do this.

Her mother had a meticulously organized agenda in an application that she asked to be done specifically for her daily needs. Momo knew how the program worked, because she helped in the development of it, having a special ability to imagine and create all kinds of devices ... an innate talent that was nurtured and empowered with hard study during her years of education.

She found all the information she needed and took screenshots of every detail, then sent the files to her own cell phone and erased all traces of her mischief from her mother's phone.

She sighed feeling relieved to finish the most difficult step of her task and watched her phone screen. The nerves attacked her again, but now for a different reason, she had to write to Todoroki to show him what she obtained.

_Shoto_

_I got the information we need. I send you the screenshots._

She reread the message until she was sure to send it and pressed the correspondent button.

Once the photos were sent, she slid her fingers on the screen, wondering if she should write something else ... if she should have greeted before sending the message or if it would be correct to ask Shoto if he had any questions. The notification of response came before she decided what to do.

**Shoto:**

Okay.

I will keep you up to date.

_Thank you._

She left the cell phone aside and took her mother's to return it before they discovered her, but when she was about to leave the room, a new notification arrived.

She took her cell phone again and an involuntary smile crossed her lips as she read the message:

**Shoto:**

Goodnight.

_Goodnight._

* * *

Shoto was quick to get to work and the day after obtaining the information from Momo he began to cancel everything that was irrelevant in the extensive list of tasks that Mrs. Yaoyorozu planned with so much detail.

As the days went by he felt more and more upset and indignant when he saw that their parents had several things already prepared long before telling him and Momo that they were going to join their lives without leaving the minimum space for them to make any choice about it.

_At least they would have let us choose the color of the napkins._

He wrote to Momo, after rejecting by telephone the commission of custom napkin designs for the event. As he had been doing since day one, he vented his outrage by sending her messages about the details of the cancellations…

**Momo:**

You are knowing my mother. She leaves no detail unattended.

_I can't believe she designed a special logo for this._

_She combined our names in it!_

**Momo:**

She likes to take care of the image.

I wouldn't be surprised if she already has your suit designed.

_That's not going to happen!_

_I can choose my own suit._

**Momo:**

I wish I could say the same. She already has the design of my dress.

_And what are you going to do with that?_

_Will you let her dress you?_

**Momo:**

Yes.

But then I will have to ruin it.

It will be a detail that will help with the cancellation of the wedding.

The bride's dress is too important to improvise.

Shoto felt strangely comfortable writing his frustrations by message. They hardly knew each other and yet the messages flowed between them as if they had met for a long time.

Perhaps the matter in question was of such importance that it helped such a natural communication, but he felt that there was something else, an underlying understanding that allowed him to be spontaneous and real.

**Momo:**

The organizer says that your mother will take care of your suit.

Have you talked to her yet?

He was paralyzed when he read the message. The air felt too dense to breathe so he inhaled deeply and let it out slowly.

His fingers wrote the answer mechanically, while his eyes rested on the calendar on his desk...

_No._

_I'll see her tomorrow._

* * *

After that Shoto's status appeared offline and he didn't write again. Momo supposed that the conversation was over for him and she couldn't think of anything else to add, although she would have preferred them to talk a little more.

Seated in the meeting room of the mansion, taking a break from her studies, she was so distracted by the messages she didn't even hear when her mother entered the room and sat next to her.

"Do you have plans for the weekend?" Momo was startled to hear the sudden voice and turned off the cell phone screen quickly.

"Excuse me, mother. I didn't hear you coming" Her mother smiled at her tenderly, as she slowly stirred a cup of tea, it seemed that she had been at Momo's side for a while.

"You were so focused on the phone, I didn't want to interrupt. You were talking with Shoto, right?" The girl put the cell phone on the table and looked down, feeling her cheeks light up.

"I'm so glad to see you get along so well!" Exclaimed her mother, then drank some of her tea. "You can tell that Shoto is a good boy"

"So it seems." Momo replied "I still don't know him well enough"

"It is true. A single dinner is not enough to know someone" Her mother left her cup on the plate "It would be a good idea to go to dinner again and have a conversation in person"

She didn't answer and unconsciously her gaze returned to the phone. She felt comfortable with Shoto; at the dinner they shared, they discovered having more things in common than they had imagined and with the messages they exchanged, she felt that they connected and understood each other well. She tried to remind herself that once they finished with the wedding farce, they would not see each other again.

She moved her head to the sides to get the thought out. For some reason, thinking about that gave her a rather uncomfortable feeling, which she didn't want to bother analyzing.

"Excuse me, mother," she said while rising from her place. "I must continue my studies."

"Go ahead, Momo," her mother replied, smiling warmly. "Oh, by the way. In two weeks we will try on the dress. You will love the design I chose for you "

"I'm sure I will" She smiled forcefully and left the room.

* * *

He visited his mother regularly. He had scheduled the days he left early for work and arrived on time for visiting hours. Although the hospital where she resided was far from being a cozy or pleasant place, Shoto enjoyed spending time together chatting about trivial matters or anecdotes of some happy moments from his stormy childhood.

That afternoon his mother smiled at him with the same warmth as always, showing her happiness for his presence, as she did every time he came to see her. But her cheerful gesture immediately fell and worry flooded her features.

"What's going on?" She asked bluntly when he sat next to her in one of the chairs by the window.

"Nothing" he responded quickly.

"I am your mother, Shoto. I can see when something is happening" She took his hand gently and stroked the back of his palm, encouraging him." Something is bothering you. Tell me"

Shoto looked at his hand in his mother's warm one and felt comforted by her. He smiled involuntarily and nodded slightly, agreeing to tell her what had been troubling him for the last few days.

"My father ..." he cleared his voice. They always avoided talking about Enji. He felt his mother tense, but a squeeze of her fingers let him know that he could continue "is forcing me to marry the daughter of one of his partners"

"Momo Yaoyorozu?" She asked. Shoto looked at her intrigued.

"You already knew about it?"

"Yes" There was an awkward pause "I was present when your father decided that"

"Why did you never tell me?" He felt somehow betrayed. How she had hidden something like that?

"I thought ... your father would change his mind over time." His mother's gray eyes fixed on him, sadness and guilt covered her irises and Shoto regretted bringing his father's memory to the meeting.

"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about this. "

"Yes. We have to talk about it. "She looked down at their joined hands. "I wish I had done something to stop it, but… "

"I already know it. It's not your fault." She tilted her head when she heard his words. "I'm not going to marry her anyway. "

"You won't?" The guilt that seemed to have invaded her now was overshadowed by a latent fear. Shoto smiled at her trying to bring some calm.

"No. Momo and I are going to sabotage the wedding "

"Sabotage the wedding?" She smiled at him, somewhat calmer, but she still looked worried. "How will you do that?"

"We are canceling all we can of the preparations. It's a fun thing ... sometimes ... "

"But Shoto, your father ..."

"He will have to accept it. The Yaoyorozu will be the ones who'll decide it "

"How are you so sure of that?"

"Momo is planning it. I trust her planing "

"Do you trust her?"

His mother asked him, with the concern of someone who wants to take care of him and Shoto had no doubts about his answer.

"I trust her"

"So what worries you so much?"

"I don't know ..." He frowned and looked down at their hands together "There are so many things ..."

"But there are some that are more present now, something that is chasing you. I can see it in your eyes, Shoto "

"This whole thing made me think ..." He leaned back in his chair. The action caused their hands to separate "I had never thought of sharing my life with someone. Not even to decide that I didn't want to do it "

"You don't have to decide that now."

"No. But ... if I decided that I want to do it ... "He looked into her eyes, feeling uncomfortably vulnerable "I'm so afraid of being like him "

"Shoto ..."

"I'm terrified of doing to someone ... what he did to you" Their eyes blurred with the force of tears. His mother embraced him suddenly, in an unexpected action. Shoto was slow to return the gesture, but after a long moment, he surrounded her with his arms.

"You will not do that. You're a good person, "she said, whispering while still hugging him tightly.

"I look so much like him"

"Not at all!" He exclaimed. "You're not like him. You're nothing like your father." He let her slide slowly from his arms and then looked into her eyes, cheeks wet with the tears that had slipped around their contour." Someday, you'll make someone very happy, someone you decided to share your life with. I'm sure you will "

"Thank you"

"And tell me," she said after a long pause. "How is a sabotage planned?"

Shoto told her about Mrs. Yaoyorozu's extravagant hirings, from the outrageous design of the napkins to the woman's obsession for making sure to match everything with the colors red and silver. He wondered if she did it because of his bicolor hair or if there was another reason for the meticulous choice of colors because he remembered that these shades also predominated in the mansion decorations.

"Before I leave ..." he said as he rose from his chair when the end of the visiting hours was approaching "I would like to ask you something else"

"Yes, son"

"If you could choose my suit, what color would you choose for it?" She smiled at him and replied without hesitation.

"I always thought you looked great in blue"

"I like blue"

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

He had to give a report to his father before the end of the afternoon.

Shoto spent much of his day hiding from his father while canceling the last decorations for the ballroom hired by Mrs. Yaoyorozu. There were only a few details left to finish dismantling the party and each of the calls brought him a wave of vertigo ... What would happen if his father heard of him sabotaging his business with the Yaoyorozu? or worse ... If any of the services contacted Mrs. Yaoyorozu to confirm the cancellations? It would also be a problem for Momo ...

Fortunately, that did not happen so far and the counter-plans were going great.

His cell phone vibrated at his side, notifying the arrival of a new message. He looked at the screen seeing who the sender was and decided to read it and continue his work later.

**Momo:**

I was able to check my mother's organizer again.

Your father agreed to a meeting with the Iida law firm on January 29.

That is the legal date of our wedding.

He stared at the date. Inside his chest, his heartbeats increased the rhythm and the palms of his hands felt slightly sweaty, but despite his nerves, he didn't feel the fury he thought he would feel, only something more similar to anxiety.

_Only 2 months left for that day._

**Momo**:

It is too early.

I will have to talk to them as soon as possible.

_Do you feel ready for that?_

**Momo**:

No.

But I have no choice.

It will be worse for them to hear me say "No" in front of the lawyer.

_If you need me to be present when you tell them, just let me know._

He stared at the screen waiting for the reply. It took time to arrive. He smiled as he imagined she would be debating what to answer.

In all the time they had been sending daily messages, he discovered that Momo had a great easiness to plan coldly, she could anticipate the events by analyzing every possible answer of people, so she was advising him on what to tell each company he canceled the contracts with. But on the other hand, she was very shy for more personal matters and (like him) did not know how to respond to trivial stuff.

**Momo**:

Thank you. Your support would be helpful.

_Just let me know and I'll be there._

He continued working, although his concentration was far from the sales reports. Anxiety continued growing inside him and he couldn't help but checking his cell phone screen every so often, waiting for the arrival of a new message.

He sighed and took the device reclining in his seat.

He wanted to ask her to meet again before they had to tell the Yaoyorozu that they were not going to get married. He wanted them to talk about something other than the cancellation of the wedding, share something together, get to know her a little more ... The cell phone vibrated with the new notification and Shoto was glad to see the message ...

**Momo**:

My mother mentioned that it would be a good idea to have another dinner.

Us alone, to get to know each other better

Before the wedding

_Maybe it's a good idea._

He thought carefully his words, wrote a couple of letters, starting a sentence and then deleting it. He sighed feeling frustrated with his own nerves and decided to write the first thing he could think of.

_Saturday at the same time as the other day?_

**Momo**:

Agree.

_Do you think they will tell us where to go?_

**Momo:**

I do not know

My mother didn't tell me if she had something in mind.

_I would prefer that they let us decide something._

**Momo**:

I could talk to my mother about that.

I think she will understand.

* * *

Momo felt relieved because, fortunately, for their second date they were allowed to choose where they would go for dinner and what kind of date they wanted to have. Her mother preferred not to know where they were going, saying she didn't want to interfere with the plans they had ... despite the irony of the situation, Momo thanked her for the confidence.

The permission motivated a small rebellion: they chose a place that their parents would never step on, a fast food place. Momo was particularly excited about the new "experience" and despite not being an extravagant place in the least, she appreciated the lively atmosphere, decorated with vibrant colors and intense lights.

"I admit that when you said 'Subway' I thought it would be exactly that," she confessed as she examined the poster with the instructions for placing the order.

"Did you think we would really eat in the subway?"

"You cannot deny that it would have been very rebellious of us" she smiled genuinely. After so many messages exchanged with Todoroki for the cancellation of the wedding, both felt more comfortable in the company of the other.

"I'll keep it in mind for the next one"

Momo didn't answer that, but it felt strange he mentioned the third date... she chose to ignore the warm feeling it caused her to think Shoto would want to continue dating her.

Once they placed the order they chose a table and each sat down with their tray, subs, and sodas.

"My mother told me we could choose where to go for our Honeymoon," she said as she opened the wrapping.

"I don't care where we won't go," he replied simply.

"We will have to think of something to tell them" she continued and took a sip of her soda "to be credible"

"Okay," Todoroki replied and took a bite of his sandwich "Where would you like to go?

"What do you say about the Caribbean?" Momo took out her cell phone to show him the picture of a beach. Since her mother told her they could choose the destination of their Honeymoon, she dedicated herself to searching travel sites for the most recommended places to go "The beaches there are beautiful" Shoto looked at the photo for a few seconds and then the He looked serious.

"Actually, I hate the heat" His response was somewhat disappointing, but Momo had a plan B

"In that case," She changed the photo on her cell phone to a snowy mountain destination. "What about the mountains?" Shoto looked more interested, lowering his food and grabbing the cell phone to see the picture better.

"There are many activities and the landscape is exquisite"

"I went to this place with my family once," he told her, looking at the picture with a nostalgic air "when I was little and my father didn't lock me in the office"

"Oh, I'm sorry ... if it's not a good place then ..."

"Okay, don't worry." He returned the phone. "We won't go anyway, remember?"

Momo looked down at the cell phone screen. The photo of a large cabin with the logs burning in the fireplace giving a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the snow that could be seen falling through the window.

"It's true," she looked up at him when she heard him. Shoto had slightly flushed cheeks and seemed hesitant to continue "It's a very beautiful landscape" Momo felt more excited to hear it, although she couldn't understand why she felt disappointed with Shoto's previous answer "If it were my honeymoon ... I would like to go there"

"Me too"

They smiled, staring into each other's eyes. When they just met and their eyes crossed for the first time, it seemed to her that he emanated a cold and distant aura. There was some sadness in his two-colored irises too. But it was not what she saw in that blue and gray at that time; She felt he was warmer and closer, the connection she perceived through the messages on the phone surrounded them within the multicolored atmosphere of the Subway. Momo looked away at the cell phone photo and unconsciously bit her lower lip...

"It's still early. Can you think of something to do now?" Momo looked up and smiled mischievously.

"In fact ... yes, I have an idea."

"Something tells me that you want to continue with your rebellion."

"Of course." She reached out and rose from her chair. "Shoto, would you come with me to the Mall?"

"Are you serious?" He laughed, took her hand and also rose from the table. " By the look on your face, I thought it would be a more daring thing."

"We'll go downtown tonight!" She exclaimed and resisted an impulse of jumping in her place. "My mother would never let me go to such a place at this hour."

"Such a place?" He asked and let out a little laugh "There's nothing wrong with the mall"

* * *

When he got home it was really late. All the lights in the residence were off, except for the hallway that led to the rooms. Shoto guessed that his sister left them on for when he arrived.

Despite being very tired, he was not sleepy, he felt so energetic that he could be awake for the rest of the night and then continue with his routine. The date with Momo had been like an escape to reality, that seemed dreamed up, with no worries, no responsibilities nor obligations. They were two children who had freedom in their hands and dared to take it to enjoy it.

Momo told him that she went to the mall several times with her friends, but her mother wouldn't let her out once night fell. She only let her go out with him, on both occasions for their dates. For her, it was a new and magical experience that didn't seem as superficial as it sounded.

Shoto didn't care about going to that place, he didn't see so much fun to be surrounded by shops and food places he could find on the street, but he admitted that at night it was different ... the intense lights contrasted with the darkness of the night and the absence of people walking through the corridors gave the feeling that the whole building was open for just them. Momo had the pleasure of trying on all kinds of clothes and accessories while he was just browsing through shelves and showcases without finding anything interesting, but he was content to accompany her, see her happy, exultant, enjoying that small quota of rebellion.

Maybe she had infected him with some rebellion, or maybe he just wanted to do something useful with that leftover energy... When he passed by the door of his father's studio, he felt the urge to go inside. Something that was absolutely forbidden for everyone.

At this point, Shoto cared little about what his father could say, but that did not prevent the adrenaline to increase inside of him while his steps took him into the office ...

He turned on the desk lamp and looked around in the room Enji used to work when he stayed at home. It had a huge library full of encyclopedias, a bookcase with some ornaments and a wall full of diplomas and certifications. He had never seen them, but he knew of their existence because his father gave more importance to his career than to his own family. Shoto hated those damn titles that seemed to be the center of Enji's obsessions.

He turned his attention to the desk, looking for the list of wedding guests to start disinviting them, but something else grabbed his interest in the large piece of furniture covered with papers. A picture frame, the only one in the whole room. It had framed a photograph of his mother with the four little Todoroki. Shoto took the object in his hands and watched it curiously, why did his father have a picture of them? Wasn't that he didn't care about his family? Even the photograph he chose had his oldest brother on it, who had left the house many years ago after a fierce fight with his father.

He decided not to think much of it and set the picture aside. He searched through the papers until he finally found a list of people and pulled the sheet until it came out of the stacked pile. He was going to leave with it until something else caught his attention... a folder that peeked out from among the other papers he had moved pulling the list. He grabbed it and when he opened it to read what was inside he felt the rage ignite in him…

"What are you doing here?" His father's fierce voice echoed like thunder inside the room, but that wasn't going to intimidate the enraged Shoto. "You know you can't get in here."

"How dare you do this to me?" Shoto asked raising the sheet inside the folder "How can you treat me like an object?"

"You didn't have to see that," he replied in an authoritarian tone that didn't intimidate Shoto. "Leave it there now."

"I will not leave it. I'm going to destroy it. "He took the paper with both hands and split it in two.

"What have you done?!" Enraged, Enji advanced into the room taking great menacing steps.

"That's not the only thing I'll do" Shoto replied calmly but denoting all his fury in every word "I'm going to cancel the wedding"

"You can't do that"

"Yes, I can" He circled the desk to leave, but his father got in the way, like a huge rock that blocked the road. The big man raised a menacing hand, but Shoto just stared at him "Are you going to hit me?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "Go ahead. Leave me a good mark for the Yaoyorozu to see what kind of father-in-law they chose for their daughter. "Enji lowered his hand.

"You are an idiot," said his father with a grimace of disgust, as if he were some insignificant garbage in the middle of the path "I did it for you, for your future"

"You're lying," he replied, circling him to go to the exit. "You did it for money. You sold me as a thing; as if I belonged to you."

"You are my son. You belong to Me"

"And you say that I am the idiot here?"

* * *

**Shoto**:

I am going to your house.

Please open the door. It is urgent.

Momo was still awake when Shoto's message arrived because the night's experiences had not let her sleep. Worried, she left her room to wait for him at the front door of the mansion.

_Of course._

_I will be waiting_.

She had no idea what was happening and didn't know whether to ask him in a message or wait for him to speak about it in person. Concern invaded her, uncertainty forced her to circle around the main hall, waiting for the minutes to pass quickly.

The only option she could think of for Shoto's urgency was that his father had discovered what they were doing behind his back. She worried thinking about the horrible scene that the young Todoroki had to face, she would have preferred that they faced that situation together and not that he went through that alone. When he had offered to accompany her to talk to her parents, Momo hoped to do the same with Enji.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally knocked on the door. When she opened, Shoto was there tense like a stone and his eyes crimson with rage.

"Shoto, what happened?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm going to cancel the wedding," he said in a tone so serious and full of anger that it was almost unrecognizable.

"But ... Isn't that what we've been doing?"

"Not like that," he replied and Momo noticed the young man clenched fists at his sides. "Tomorrow I'll go cancel everything. I will tell your parents myself "

"Can you tell me what happened?" She asked in a gentle tone. At that moment what her parents could feel about the cancellation did not matter at all. "You're worrying me, Shoto"

"Can I come in?" His voice softened a little with the request, she nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry" She let him pass, realizing that they were talking in the doorway "Do you want some tea?" Shoto watched her with a look full of fury and sighed. His bi-colored eyes recovered that gentle glow that she had become used to look at.

"Yes please"

**To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter: Four

He still hasn't told her what was happening and Momo feared that after being so comfortable together, the tension would surround them again. She tried to remain calm on the outside to give Shoto the security to speak to her, but inside the nerves threatened to break her facade.

"My father ..." Shoto began once she placed a cup of hot tea in front of him and settled in front of him on the large kitchen table. "I found a contract in his office, one that he signed with your parents"

"The agreement to our marriage?" She guessed and he nodded, avoiding her gaze.

"Yes. It's a buy-sell agreement." Momo frowned.

"I don't understand." Shoto looked seriously at her, the fury returning to his eyes.

"Your parents bought me" While Shoto's words settled, Momo felt the anger infecting her. "They paid my father in exchange for our commitment. It was never an agreement for the benefit of the families. They treated me like an object, like merchandise that can be exchanged for money "

Anger brought the bitter taste of tears. Momo had never felt so disappointed by her parents, not even when she thought she was used as part of a negotiation.

"I'm so sorry," she said, knowing that her words were not enough to mend anything.

"It's not your fault," he replied and Momo shook her head.

"It does not matter. My family… my parents… they bought you for me." The indignation came to her words, saying the last with a high-pitched scream that accompanied an unstoppable cry "Just like they can buy me anything else, like the spoiled girl I am "

"I didn't come here to reproach you anything. You are a victim just like I am." He rose from his place and approached her. Momo raised her hand as a signal to stop any action he intended to do.

"You don't understand" She stood from her place, her action causing the teacup to spill on the table and the liquid falling to the floor causing a sound that accompanied the shedding of her own tears "I should have refused when they introduced us. We did all of this just because I can't let them down! " She didn't realize that she was raising her voice, that her screams were resounding through the halls of the mansion.

"We both agreed, Momo. It wasn't just your decision "

"That's because you're too good, Shoto. Because you couldn't force me to face them if I didn't want to do it. "

"It wasn't like that, neither did I ..." The kitchen door opened, cutting Shoto's words. Momo turned to see her parents entering, both dressed in their sleepwear.

"What's going on here?" Asked her father. Momo felt the anger invade her "Shoto, it's too late for a visit"

"It's not a visit, father," Momo replied and stood in front of them.

The elegant posture, manners, calm eyes, and respectful words seemed to have disappeared from her mind. The rebellion, that forbidden sensation that she could experience recently, took control of her actions and words. Momo felt it was okay to get carried away by it, which at that moment seemed to be the best advisor…

"Shoto, my room is the last door in the hall. Please wait for me there while I talk to them "

"In your room?" Exclaimed her mother alarmed "You can't! You are not married!"

"And we will not be" she replied staring at her.

"Momo, dear, what are you talking about?"

"Of returning a purchase"

* * *

The anger had evaporated once he left the kitchen and walked to the room that Momo indicated.

Sitting on her bed, tense and anxious, he hoped that the conversation that took place a few meters away would be more enjoyable than what he would have with Enji.

Absolutely nothing was heard. The Yaoyorozu style to discuss things apparently was far from the screams and aggression he was used to and Shoto couldn't know if that was a good thing.

He thought back, about how hurt Momo has been after knowing the truth about their commitment. He wondered if, perhaps, he should have taken the matter less impulsively. To think better what to say and the how, instead of just reaching the door of the mansion covered in rage. But he was so hurt…

He would have to be more accustomed, anesthetized to the fact that his father used him as an object, but he refused to accept that. He still expected Enji to treat him like a person, to love him and be proud of him.

The door of the room opened and Momo entered with a rigid posture but with tears still sliding down her cheeks. Shoto got up from the bed and she put distance between them again, raising a hand to stop him.

"I'm so sorry you went through this, Shoto," she said in a soft but cold voice. The imposed distance hurt him more than he had imagined, Momo showed herself to him as the first time they saw each other in their marriage agreement

"I already told you, it's not your fault"

"Tomorrow we will cancel the agreement before the lawyer"

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, ignoring the lawyer's comment.

"No. I am not, "she replied pretending a smile "I had never argued with them "

"Do you want to talk about it?" She looked away. Shoto tried to smile to give her confidence. "I'm used to arguing with my father" Momo didn't look at him. Her dark eyes fixed on the carpet. She took a deep breath and let the air out slowly.

"They thought they were doing something good for me ..."

Momo looked so sad, so disappointed and he wanted to do more than listen to her, but he couldn't think of anything else to comfort her.

They sat on the floor, still separated by the distance she imposed and that Shoto didn't know how to reduce. They talked the few hours left of the night; she told him about the discussion and about a life controlled by high expectations. He shared some of his sufferings, his father and his punishments, the estrangement with his brothers and the visits to his mother.

They still didn't tell each other everything, he hid the darkest parts of his past and he could guess that she also kept some secrets to herself…

He hoped that at some point, they could trust each other enough to know what they haven't said yet. Shoto wanted to know everything about her and wanted to share everything within him.

* * *

The lawyer was younger than Momo imagined, knowing his parents she hoped to be in a traditional study with an elderly man with much experience in the matter, but Tensei Iida seemed only a few years older than them, clearly, the study was chosen by Mr. Todoroki.

"There's no problem," he told them after they explained the situation. "The contract signed by your parents is not valid. You can't buy people "

"But ..." Shoto intervened. The lawyer continued with his explanation.

"The exchange between your parents is just a business deal they did, but in the end, it's your will to marry or not, regardless of the amount of money that has been required."

"So we are not obliged to get married?"

"Of course not. No one can force you to that! We're in the 21st century "

"Thank you very much," Momo replied with relief and shook hands with him, ending the meeting.

They left the building without looking or speaking to each other. Outside the sun shone brightly in the middle of the sky, the traffic noise gave life to the city, but none of that eased the tension between them.

Momo wondered if they would keep in touch after all that, but she didn't want Shoto to feel obligated to anything since he was forced to do the whims of her parents.

"I guess it's all over," he said in a tone she didn't know how to decipher.

"That's right," she replied and bit her lower lip, withholding questions and doubts she wanted to express out loud. Shoto extended his hand in parting and Momo accepted it.

"Momo I..." He started, but his voice went out before he could say anything.

"Do not worry, I understand," she said smiling warmly "It has been a very strange month, it is a relief to leave it behind"

"Eh?"

"Thank you for everything, Shoto," she said before hugging him tightly. She felt him tense, not hugging her back. It hurt her not to receive an answer, but she allowed herself to hug him just a little more "You're a good friend"

She didn't wait for him to answer, just turned around to find a taxi and return to the mansion.

Saying goodbye to Shoto was harder than she had anticipated. At some point, when she enjoyed their second date feeling free and relaxed in the company of the young Todoroki, Momo thought they could become more than friends, but in view of everything that happened during the night she believed that they wouldn't even be acquaintances that occasionally crossed paths.

She looked out the window of the taxi before it started to move, Shoto walked with his hands in his pockets and his eyes fixed on the sidewalk tiles. Momo smiled sadly, that would be the last time she would see him.

* * *

"If I hear you sigh again, I swear I'm going to hit you" Shoto looked up at his supposed friend Katsuki, who was watching him with the same furious expression as always. Shrugging he decided to ignore him by looking at his cell phone screen.

"If you want to talk to her, just write to her" He heard Deku say, but he also ignored him.

"After all those messages that you sent each other, I don't think there's a problem with just one more," Kirishima told him encouragingly.

Shoto was not sure what to do. Two weeks passed since the visit to the lawyer and they had not communicated again.

Momo had behaved very distant after knowing how their commitment had come to be and he believed it was her desire to keep that distance, but she also told him he was a good friend ... so they were still friends?

"What do I say?" He asked, raising his head to look at his friends.

"Well, what do you want to say?" Kaminari replied simply. "You've been looking at the screen for a while, surely something has occurred to you by now."

"I'm not sure"

"I'll help you!" The blond exclaimed and took the phone from his hands.

"Hey! Give it back!"

Kaminari ran to the other side of the room and Shoto followed him, a mix of enraged and worried, who knew what things his friend could write about? The last thing he wanted was to look bad with Momo because of a misunderstanding caused by Denki.

"Wow, it seems you don't have to worry about starting the conversation."

"What do you mean?" He reached the opposite corner of where his friends were gathered and removed the phone from Kaminari's hand in a swift motion.

"She wrote to you first"

With anxiety pumping the palpitations in his chest he looked at his screen and a silly smile crossed his lips involuntarily. The photograph of the cabin in a snowy landscape occupied a message and beneath it the words he didn't know he was waiting for…

**Momo:**

I would go to this place of Honeymoon.

But also with a good friend.

_Me too_

_Let's go together._

**Momo:**

What a relief.

I was hoping you will say that.

**Thanks for Reading!**

Special thanks to **Lys** who did the Beta Reading of this story


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